As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner

 As I Lay Dying

[alert-success] As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner

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        "As I Lay Dying" is a southern Gothic novel written by the renowned American playwright William Faulkner. It depicts the voyage of the Bundren family as they attempt to bury Addie's body in Jefferson, as she had requested. The novel's title alludes to Homer's Odyssey, as Agamemnon and Addie share a comparable experience. Addie, the mother of the Bundren family, is on her deathbed, and her burial in Jefferson is desired.

        I can see the fan and the limb of Dewey Dell. I asked if you'd just let her alone. Sawing and pounding, and keeping the air on her face constantly moving so quickly that you cannot breathe when exhausted. The author begins the novel with a gloomy atmosphere, with a woman on her deathbed, her eldest son constructing a coffin for his mother, and her daughter fanning her. As Dewey Dell is in a gloomy state, all of these elements of a gloomy atmosphere represent gothic elements. Therefore, the coffin-making process and Dewey's attitude induce a sober disposition in the reader. 

The quilt is drawn up to her chin, hot as it is, with only her two hands and her face outside. She is propped on the pillow, with her head raised so she can see out the window…  

        Faulkner gives an unorthodox description of a dead corpse and also gives it human characteristics. Typically, only living beings can experience emotions, but the author describes Addie's corpse as feeling hot and being visible through the window. This creates an eerie ambiance for the readers, indicating the presence of gothic elements. And Addie's youngest son does not appear to comprehend his mother's death, as he seems to comprehend it through the death of a fish that he has caught, which again creates an unsettling atmosphere.

         After the arrival of the other two sons, Dark and Jewel, the family embarks on their journey. The family has a distinct reason for their journey, as Anse, Addie's husband, wishes to purchase a new set of teeth and Dewey wishes to abort her expectant child. This indicates the family's self-centered mindset.

“Jewel’s mother is a horse” Dal said

 “Then mine can be a fish, can’t Dad?” I said. 

        Jewel, who is Addie's illegitimate child, desires independence from his family, despite his deep affection for them. And he uses the horse as a symbol of his liberation to escape his family. For this reason, Dal, another son of Addie, is envious of Jewel's horse, which he earned through rigorous labour. And the final son, who cannot tell the difference between his deceased mother and a lifeless fish.

         In the midst of their journey, they must cross a river; however, their mules' locomotion has fallen into the river, Cash's leg is broken, and he has also lost his toolbox. And the cruel father has just sold Jewel's horse to purchase new mules to transport the coffin. Then, at a later time, Dill sets fire to the farmer's land to dispose of the dead corpse and all related problems. He does not attempt to save his son but instead labels him as having a mental disorder and sends him to prison.

         In the end, Anse, who has no compassion or empathy for his family, acquires a teeth set with the money from the person who made Dewey pregnant, and he does not stop there; he also introduces a new Mrs. Bundren to his family.